Clip



y 1963 s. D. LOCKSHIN 3,039,541

CLIP

Filed Jan. 16, 1961 INVEN TOR. SAMUEL D. LOCKSHIN ATTORNEY.

3,689,541 Patented May 14, 1963 7 ice Filed Jan. 16, 1961, Ser. No.82,811 1 Claim. (Cl. 160-633) The present invention relates generally tonew and useful improvements and structural refinements in a clip orfastener for a webbing-strip such as is commonly used in connection withtubular furniture and is directed more particularly to the provision ofa web fastener which is particularly employed in connection with suchwebbingstrips which are, as is known, interlaced across the tubularframes of metal furniture, such as chairs, chaise lounges and the like.

It will be helpful to an understanding of my invention to first brieflyconsider some of the essential points and more important features andaspects thereof, so that same may be kept in mind during the subsequentreading of the detailed description of the practical embodiment of myimprovements and of the illustration thereof in the hereunto annexeddrawing.

Accordingly, it is first to be noted that my invention may be embodiedin any device having a need for he tening strips of Webbing to metal.

The seats, back-rests, leg-rests, and other components of well knownpresent day furniture embody frames having opposite and adjacent sideand end tubular members and with somewhat narrow strips or lengths ofmaterial transversely arranged as to each other and interlaced as toeach other, with opposite ends of said strips being secured to oppositeframe members, as the supporting media.

It has been the practice in the manufacture of articles, such as foldingchairs made of aluminum tubing, to secure the webbing by looping itabout the frame members in various ways.

Such methods have required the exercise of special care and skill andinvolved considerable time and use of extra and special materials, allresulting in higher costs.

The existing practice in the trade, as exemplified by the known priorart, is to clamp the fasteners to the web. Such means heretofore knownall have certain common and obvious objections that, in order to operatethem, Web penetration is necessary so as to lead to eventual rupture ofthe web under the normal stresses and strains of use. 1

The problem has been accentuated by the fact that special machinery isusually necessitated so as to complicate and add to the costs ofproduction as well as the problems of repair.

The ends of the strip material, according to the prior art, have beensecured or aflixed to the tubular members by various and numerousmethods and means which have been time consuming and costly. Further, inuse, the ends of the strips of material too frequently become loosenedor ruptured and therefor fail in their supporting function.

In contradistinction, I have devised a novel means whereby thesedifiiculties and objections are overcome. I accomplish this by theprovision of a device which obviates the need for special equipment andeliminates the aforesaid objectionable inconveniences.

The principal objects of this invention are directed to the provision ofa means and method of securing the ends of strip material to the tubularframe members of furniture in such manner as to insure a permanentconnection.

The novel features of the invention, in a general way, include a devicewhich may be easily and readily slipped over the end of the web withoutrequiring clamping thereof to the web. Said device, at each opposite endof a strip, is connected to the adjacent tubular member of a framecomponent so that the strip material is maintained in taut supportingcondition.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to furnish an improvementin the art which, on the basis of the factors involved, is capable ofsolving the difficulties involved.

The web fastener hereof merely slips over the end of the web and the webis then snubbed .thereagainst in mannet to preclude the slippage of thefastener and web relative to each other.

By the means hereof, the fastener may be easily adjusted or readjustedand, if necessary, repaired, all without tools.

The nature of the device of the invention is such that the end of stripmaterial is gripped against displacement, and the device is connected orattached to a tubular mem ber easily and readily without the necessityof screws, bolts or the like, all to the end that economy in manufactureresults, and the strip material may function as a support Withoutlikelihood of detachment.

Other objects of the present invention are to avoid and eliminate theprior art faults and objections and to provide fastenings which can bequickly and easily applied or removed, which will be inexpensive, andwhich will actually be stronger and better than fastening means such asheretofore used. 1

Particular objects of the invention are to provide a light and smallform of fastening which can be put on or taken oif by hand and whichwill make a neat connection of the webbing with the frame and besubstantially concealed and out of the way.

'It has heretofore been known in the art to use clips of V-shape crosssection squeezed on the end of webbing strips and having a hook forengagement in slots provided in the walls of aluminum tubes in makingfoldable lawn furniture. However, experience with such clips revealsdrawbacks in that they do not properly grip certain kinds of webbinghaving strands of circular cross section.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clipwhich overcomes the above drawbacks of prior art clips, but which can beas cheaply manufactured; and it is a further object of the invention toprovide a clip which will be durable and which will not readily slip outof place when applied by means of an integral hook to a slot in a tubingframe.

Without intending to place undue limitations upon the scope of theinvention beyond what may be required by the state of the prior art, theparticular embodiment of the invention may be briefly described asembracing the concept of a slide fastener which is engageable with aflexible webbing strip which is normally made of resilient plasticmaterial such as polyethylyene.

The invention comprehends a particular construction,

arrangement, combination, and relationship of the various elements,components and instrumentalities of a Web fastener as exemplified in thefollowing detailed disclosure.

To make the manufacture of my web fastener a more profitableundertaking, the mechanism embodying the essence of the invention hasbeen engineered in manner as to be simple in its construction so as toexpedite economical large-scale production and assembly, the usualcomplexity of components having been so greatly reduced as to offer acompact design representative of a fundamentally new concept in thecombining and coacting of the component parts of such a fastener.

Precision of relative dimensioning of partsas millitates againstinexpensive manufacture, simplicity of maintenance and care, andconsistency of performance in practical use have been assiduously bornein mind in the development of the present invention.

The characteristic features which I consider to be novel with myinvention, as to its construction and organization and as to its methodsof operation, will be better understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description forming a part of this specification,when read in conjunction with the illustrations in the accompanyingdrawing, wherein like characters of reference are employed to designatelike or corresponding parts throughout the several views and in which.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a device for securing to the end ofwebbing, and embodying the novel features of.

the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view at the line 1-1 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a tubular element with which the deviceof FIGS. 1 and 2 is connectable, the device being shown as secured tothe end of a length of webbing.

With continued reference now to the drawing, which illustrates a typicaland preferred embodiment of the invention for the purpose of disclosureand forms a part of this specification, I have shown a fastener clip ofthe invention.

In the following description and in the appended claims, variouscomponents and details thereof will be identified by specific names forpurposes of convenience. The phraseology or terminology herein employedis for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

It will be understood that the device hereof is to be used on thetubular frame of a chaise lounge or chair or like piece of metalfurniture which employs such tubular members in combination with stripsof flexible plastic webbing which are interlaced with each other andextend between opposite side rails or end rails of the furni turecomponents, all of which is well understood and therefore is not hereinillustrated in detail.

The fastener clip of the invention is generally indicated by numeral 2and comprises a generally rectangular body 4 formed of a relatively thinand stiff metal and having a longitudinally-extending elongated slot 6disposed centrally thereof.

The slot 6 extends for a substantial distance consistent with permittinga width of Webbing to be passed therethrough, as will appear.

Outwardly extending integral ears or prongs 10 are provided at oppositeends of one of the sides of the body 4 and extend outwardly therefrom atsharp angles so as to be aligned as to each other and to provideshoulders 11 for engagement with the front edge of a slot 16 in thetubing as will hereinafter appear, and said ears may be longitudinallyribbed, if desired, for stiffening purposes.

A plurality of teeth 12 spaced equidistantly extend outwardly from thesaid one side of the body 4 between the opposite ears 10 and 10.

The body 4 is curved transversely into an arcuate configuration so as toaccommodate and closely approximate the curvature of the tubular metalwith which use is contemplated so as to fit closely against the tubingand the cars 10 are somewhat turned back upon the main portion of thebody so as to be more or less radially disposed as shown in FIG. 2.

A tubular member 14 such as of aluminum or the like and forming part ofa chair to which the clip 2 is to be connected, will be provided with anelongated slot 16 suitable for receiving the ears 10 of said clip.

The opposite tubular components of the frame structure will, of course,be provided with corresponding slots, such as 16, which will belongitudinally spaced to provide the desired spacing of the interlacedwebs which are to extend between the components.

The webs are cut to that length necessary for spanning 5t oppositetubular members with clips at opposite ends thereof connected toopposite tubular members.

The end portion W of a web W is inserted upwardly through the opening 6of the clip, turned over the teeth 12, and the ears or hooks 10 areengaged in the slot 16 so that the web portion W is securely and rigidlygripped or clamped between the clip and the tubing 14.

With the opposite ends of the web secured by clips to opposite tubularmembers, any strain or weight on the web is resisted by engagement ofthe hooks 10 with the edge of the slot 16 of the tubing.

Thus, the end of the web is easily and readily secured to the tubingwithout the necessity of fastening means, such as screws and grommets orthe like, and without the likelihood of the web becoming detachedtherefrom.

The clip may, of course, be formed with as many hooks as may be desiredand will be arranged so that when connected with the tubular memberthere will be a wedging action of the hooks and edge of the slot inwhich the hooks are inserted.

The hooks may take various forms and will be such that the weight orpressure on the web will enhance the wedging action of the hook and sideof the slot, which is desirable.

With strips of webbing cut to the proper length, and with opposite endsthereof gripped in clips, opposite tubular members may be temporarilypositioned by suitable means for inserting the hooks of clips in theslots of the tubes and thereafter the tubes may be positionedpermanently so that the Webbing extends therebetween in a tautsupporting condition.

The inner edge of the plate will clamp and bind the overreaching endportion of the web against the tubing, with the web being impinged bythe teeth 12, and the outer or base edge of the plate will hold and gripthe full width of the web with a snubbing action. This snubbing andbinding action will increase as tension is applied to the webbing andconsequently, the fastener will hold with greater effect as the load isincreased.

The fasteners may be applied to the end of the webbing after or beforethe webbing is assembled on the frame, and this can be entirely a handoperation.

When the fasteners, nested in the ends of the webbing, are applied tothe frame, they will securely hold the webbing against all usual or evenextraordinary loads but, at the same time, they may be easily removedusually by hand by applying direct lifting pressure to the base edge ofthe fastener, only sufficient force being neededfor it to snap theshoulder portions of the cars out of interlocked engagement in thetubing slot.

The fasteners are particularly light and small and inexpensive. They donot add bulk to the chair or other piece of furniture. They aresubstantially concealed or out of sight and they are strong and durable.They provide a secure, concealed connection of the webbing with thechair frame, and they can be both quickly and easily snapped intoposition or be removed without use of special tools or exercise of anyspecial care or skill.

I believe that an important aspect of my construction which gives me thesurprising locking results obtained resides in the use of closed slotssuch as 6.

Apparently the effect of the closed slot is to grip and deform thewebbing longitudinally of the clip While stretching the webbinglatitudinally, that is, along the long edge of the ridge. This producesa peculiarly effective type of grip in that, even under stress far inexcess of that normally encountered in use, the fibers of the web arecompressed against the edges of the slot and provide a locking effect bycompression and indentation of the fibers contiguous with the slotedges.

The effect of the above construction as described is considerablysuperior to other arrangements which have been tried and marketed andalthough no microscopic examination has been made of the exact effect onthe webbing strap produced by my novel coaction of elongated ridges andslots, rigid tests under working conditions leave no room for doubt asto the peculiarly increased holding power of the arrangement. As statedhereinabove, a very important advantage is obtained in that I am enabledto manufacture clips of aluminum rather than the relatively heavy andexpensive cadmiumplated steel, which was previously used.

The claims are desired to include Within the scope thereof all of saidsuitable variations, modifications and equivalents by whichsubstantially the results of the invention may be obtained through theuse of substantially the same or equivalent devices or means.Accordingly, limitation hereof should only be made as determined by aproper interpretation of the prior art and the scope of the subjoinedclaim, in which it is my intention to claim all novelty inherent hereinas broadly as possible.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

In a tubularrame furniture construction, a webbingstrip fasteningassembly cooperant with a tubular frame member having an elongated slotin its wall of a length in excess of the width of a webbing-stripoperative therewith and of a shape operatively to accept ears and anoverlying end portion of a Webbing-strip inserted therein andcomprising: a fastener operatively securing the webbing-strip to theframe member and including, a relatively stiff resilient clip having anelongated head portion having a substantial arcuate configuration intransverse cross section and including an elongated central slot havinga length slightly in excess of the width of the webhing-strip and a pairof integral longitudinally-spaced ear portions extending downwardly andinward-1y from the relatively outboard longitudinal side edge of saidhead portion and a sawtooth edge at the said outboard side edgeintermediate said ear portions of a length corresponding substantiallyto the width of the webbing strip, the Webbing strip being extendedbeneath said head portion and through the elongated central slot thereofand over said head portion and being folded over and impinged upon saidoutboard side edge, the ear portions of said pair thereof and the endportion of the Webbing-strip being insertable into the elongated slot inthe wall of the frame member and into the interior of the frame memberenabling said fastener to self-lock itself and thereby the webbing-stripto the frame member with said head portion conforming to the outsidecurvature of the frame member adjacent the elongated slot and to secureitself to the frame member with increasing force as the webbing strip istensioned.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,582,579 Bedford Jan. 15, 1952 2,856,990 Thomas Oct. 21, 1958 2,974,721Thomas Mar. 14, 1961

